Lee Creek Mine — Accidents

Total: 221 accidents | Fatalities: 1

Date Classification Injury Days Lost Narrative
01/28/2026 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Maintenance Technician (M1) was tasked with installing the track on a Bulldozer. M1 used a hammer to align the track master link. During master link alignment M1 felt flying debris enter their right e...
10/29/2025 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 10d lost Effected employee (EE) was helping load a grease barrel on a fuel truck when another employee was on top of the truck pulling the top of the barrel causing the bottom of it to slide out and pinch EE's...
10/19/2025 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Operator in Training (O1) was tasked with wash down duties on the north side of the Mill Washer Building. While performing the assigned task O1 used both hands to close a 2"" ball valve with an oval h...
08/21/2025 MACHINERY DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 8d restricted Employee was arc gouging bulkhead weld seam off Matrix pump sled. While cutting the last of the weld seam the wall shifted pinching a finger between the floor and head of the gouging torch. Employee r...
07/21/2025 DISORDERS (PHYSICAL AGENTS) OCCUPATNAL ILLNESS NOT DEG 1-6 None Employee was welding and tacking troughs in Enviroclear tank. EE took a break, 5-6 minutes, kneeling in front of fan to drink gatorade. When EE went to stand up, EE passed out.
02/24/2025 OTHER INJURIES DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES None Equipment operator stated EE wasn't feeling good and asked to go home. Operator missed two days the week prior with the flu. After operator badge out and left active mine area to personal vehicle area...
02/04/2025 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 107d restricted Employee alleges that EE strained EE's lower back while performing repairs on an excavator. EE did not notify management until 2/10/2025. EE states that EE was handling a started when the event occurr...
01/03/2025 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY None Mill Maintenance Mechanic (M1) bent down on their right knee to observe the rotary gate valve at the #6 calciner. M1 began feeling pain in their right knee as they attempted to stand back up from the...
10/15/2024 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Maintenance tech. was in the process of replacing an air cannon @ the #2 gate east side. M1 had a ratchet in left hand and a 15/16 wrench in their right. The ratchet slipped off the bolt and struck M1...
08/23/2024 MACHINERY DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 208d lost Mine conditions were favorable with no adverse weather conditions.
06/30/2024 EXPLODING VESSELS UNDER PRESSURE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 21d lost EE was operating a Porta Batch Machine for a company, Lhoist, with whom we have a contract on the Nutrien Mine site in Aurora, NC. During the operation, EE saw a bubble forming in the rubber hose and...
05/14/2024 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None C1 was assigned wash down duties. C1 placed a nozzle on the hose and began opening the water valve. As water pressure increased the hose nozzle moved upward, striking C1 on the right side of their fac...
05/06/2024 POWERED HAULAGE NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Haul truck operator misjudged distance of approaching haul truck and proceeded to enter the haul road causing a front glancing collision of two haulage trucks.
02/25/2024 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Operator 1 (O1) was tasked with placing stakes in the ground to identify dig limits near the dragline. O1 was using a steel hammer to drive stakes. O1 was holding the stake with their left hand while...
02/17/2024 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 29d restricted Operator (O1) was tasked with assisting with repairs being made to a screen at the Washer Building in the Mill-Flotation area. As part of the assigned task O1 was installing a wooden wedge on the side...
08/15/2023 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None No adverse weather conditions present. Mind not on task.
06/27/2023 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 54d restricted The technician was exiting the bed of service truck with a filter in one hand and sprained an ankle when their foot landed on the ground. Video reveals that they were not using 3 points of contact on...
05/31/2023 MACHINERY NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Mechanic (M1) was tasked with working with an automated welding machine. During welding activities M1 began experiencing pain/itching in both of their eyes. M1 was diagnosed with flash burns and recei...
03/24/2023 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 6d restricted Temp Employee (T1) was tasked with performing wash down duties in the Mill area. A sudden disconnect of the wash line caused T1 to lose their footing and slip/fall. T1 struck their head resulting in a...
03/08/2023 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 327d lost Fuel technician fell 3 to 4 feet to the sand while fueling a Bulldozer. Policy was not followed; dozer was not shut down and key removed. Bulldozer operator seated inside cab bumped the forward shifte...
02/16/2023 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 249d lost A contractor truck driver (O1) was fueling a haul truck at the Mine Services fuel island (Tank #6). O1 stated that while lifting the fuel nozzle up on the truck's catwalk above their head, O1 felt a...
02/09/2023 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 6d restricted Haul truck operator (E1) used right knee to hold hose/nozzle in place while fueling haul truck. After completing fueling and resuming hauling duties, E1 began to feel pain and noticed swelling in righ...
12/26/2022 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 49d restricted An employee (E1) stepped out of the truck onto concrete, unaware it was icy. E1 slipped and started to fall. E1 landed with left arm extended straight out and felt instant pain in the left arm. *Fract...
12/05/2022 MACHINERY ALL OTHER CASES (INCL 1ST AID) None Operator struck a dead tree with bucket. Top of dead tree struck Excavator, bounced and broke top glass. Part of tree top entered cab but did not touch operator. Operator closed eyes and did not see w...
12/04/2022 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was correcting a vibration in a screener unit. Tech noted the issue was a loose bolt on the shaker box cylinder rod end. While attempting to pry the the cylinder enough to allow the R&R of t...
12/03/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None A Mill Maintenance Technician was in the process of disassembling #1 & #2 ITV (Internal Transfer Valve) on the #1 Calciner. While performing the task dry calcine rock dust fell from overhead. The te...
10/19/2022 POWERED HAULAGE DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 15d lost Concrete labor was filling fiber form bag with grout using the nozzle of a pump truck. During the process the concrete labor got grout liquid on legs. On 10/19 the concrete labor noticed an itch to th...
09/23/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None EE was attempting to move an approximately 3' x 1.5' x 1"" thick piece of steel plate out of work area. They attempted to lift one side of the plate and slide it out of the way. As they attempted to s...
08/22/2022 FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 197d lost Conveyor collapse is being investigated by MSHA.
08/22/2022 FALLING/SLIDING/ROLLING MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 197d lost Conveyor collapse is being investigated by MSHA.
08/22/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 292d lost Building collapse is under investigation by MSHA.
05/09/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 4d restricted Mechanic (M1) and Contractor employee (C1) were tasked with replacing an expansion joint. M1 removed the last bolt, and pushed against the joint to dislodge and lower to the floor. The joint came out...
04/28/2022 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 9d restricted Employee was tasked with removing screening panels held in place by wedges. While trying to remove the wedges with a hammer, the employee's hammer missed the intended target and struck employee's left...
04/06/2022 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 6d restricted While flying a welding machine down from an elevated platform, the load shifted. The employee's hand became pinched between the welding machine and an adjacent I-beam.
03/29/2022 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 38d restricted Operator (O1) noticed conveyor rubbing against structure. O1 determined contact was caused by material build-up near bend pulley. O1 used hammer to remove material build-up. O1's hammer made contact w...
10/07/2021 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 11d restricted WHILE WORKING IN MILL MAINT. SHOP EE WENT TO REMOVE A PIECE OF METAL SHAVING FROM THE VALVE AND IT CUT THROUGH EE'S GLOVE. EE SUSTAINED A CUT ON EE'S RIGHT HAND 4TH (RING) FINGER.
09/05/2021 MACHINERY ACCIDENT ONLY None After cooler Cyclone Dust Box experienced a structural failure, as an apparent result of a rapid expansion of the internal atmoshere.
07/19/2021 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 63d restricted While physically assisting in moving a track, employee felt strain in groin area.
07/01/2021 MACHINERY DAYS AWAY FROM WORK ONLY 243d lost Operator was digging into an Ore stockpile loading a screen plant. At approximately 2:26 a.m. the Ore pile peak shifted from East to West and slid down striking a 336 Excavator and a Screen Plant. Dur...
02/18/2021 HANDLING OF MATERIALS DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 3d restricted An associate, smashed the end of a finger in the process of removing a bolt from an existing steel pipeline. Once the bolt was removed the pipe moved unexpectedly. Associate's finger was caught betwee...
11/17/2020 MACHINERY NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was placing rope over a tooth on the bucket of an excavator. While employee was positioning rope, the excavator operator started to curl the excavator bucket. This movement caused two fingers...
08/21/2020 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 7d restricted Employee was getting the scale off of the calciner wall with a Johnson Bar when a large piece broke off causing the bar hit the end of EE's index finger and dislodging EE's fingernail.
08/10/2020 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 44d restricted Employee was removing a carton of parts from a cart and twisted EE's knee when EE turned to walk away. EE did not realize EE's foot was caught under the cart.
05/07/2020 POWERED HAULAGE NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee was raising the side gate of a flatbed truck at the same time a forklift was pulling away from the truck. The tire of the forklift struck the gate and the employee's hand was caught between t...
03/10/2020 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None An associate of HDPE, Inc. was injured by flying debris while dislodging a rock from a tire. EE was taken to a local medical facility and released
12/19/2019 HANDLING OF MATERIALS NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None During the installation of a bin pulley on 70-4 an employee (E1) attempted to reposition the bearing. E1's right pinky finger became pinched between the frame and bearing. Contact resulted in a fractu...
11/21/2019 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 64d restricted As employee (E1) was descending a stairway, while exiting a building, they over stepped the bottom stair, catching the edge of the step with the heel of their left foot. As forward motion continued th...
10/27/2019 SLIP OR FALL OF PERSON DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 28d restricted Equipment Operator (E1) had been assigned tasks involving the operation of a D6 dozer. While dismounting the equipment E1 placed left hand on the right hand rail which had some spots of grease on it....
09/11/2019 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) DAYS RESTRICTED ACTIVITY ONLY 11d restricted Technician was removing an idler pulley from a bulldozer and was striking the pulley with a sledge hammer. A shard of metal was ejected and it struck the technician penetrating the technician's leg. T...
07/28/2019 HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED) NO DYS AWY FRM WRK,NO RSTR ACT None Employee rigged a 90 degree elbow of a piece of pipe to be removed using a come-a-long. The employee affixed the rigging device by wrapping the chain and hook around the pipe. While trying to remove t...